


Winters Garden

by maxochi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28067679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxochi/pseuds/maxochi
Summary: Akaashi is a prince that wants to explore and live his own life.Bokuto is a lonely villagerWhat happens in a winters garden?
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	Winters Garden

**Author's Note:**

> some medival/royalty Au that randomly popped into my head
> 
> I might make this a series. anyways hope you enjoy!

The sun was beginning to rise into the sky, as more and more of the town's folk came out to start their morning. 

Koutaro Bokuto had been up since dawn tending to his morning chores.  
It wasn’t much, but it was honest work, such as husking corn and feeding animals.

The same couldn’t be said about his best friend Kuroo. The only thing going for this man was his looks and provocative attitude, and for some reason no matter how many times he had been caught, he’d give a smile and they’d let him go. With his cat-like eyes and snarky personality you’d think he probably was a cat, if it wasn’t for the oh obvious hint that he was a human.

“Did you hear? The Sugamara family are having a new addition.” Kuroo said playing with the corn husk that he, oh so despised, peeling. “Oh yeah? Is that why the town is all buzzing this morning?” Bokuto asked Kuroo, tossing him another cobbed corn, much to his disliking.

“Seem’s about it? Supposedly they’re holding a gathering tonight?” Kuroo answered, still doing everything besides peeling the corn.

“Well, here’s to their new addition!.” Bokuto spouted, a smile plastered on his face. 

The Royal family, they were semi kind to the commoners and those issued as servants and butlers.The King and Queen had a strict way of ruling, nothing too drastic, the normal laws you’d see in a fully functioning and all over quiet kingdom. In fact their borders were so taime neighboring kingdoms tend to forget they exist at all, but that isn’t to anyone's disliking.

Yet, the strict rules aren’t meant for the commoners, they weren’t meant to lead the rest of the civilization. The strict rules and hardships were passed onto the heir.

Akaashi Keiji, sixteen years old, and next in line for the throne.

Akaashi stood in the garden.

The strict schedule begins with him waking before the sun, with the business of the castle and murmurs of dishwashers and chiefs. 

His first lesson of the day would be the violin, one of the only things he enjoyed, besides reading.  
Akaashi picked up his violin from the rack and took a deep breath, holding the cold wood to his chin and gripping the bow in his right hand.  
Soft strokes made the violin sing. 

Everyone in the castle could hear the soft music if they cared to stop what they were doing for five seconds. The workers who had the joy of Akaashi playing for them could describe it as beautiful. Nothing more than perfect, to them it was enough.

Enough to be beautiful and perfect.

It wasn’t the same to his parents of course, as always to them, he could’ve done better.

Only allowing about 20 minutes of playing before his royal adviser knocked on the hard cinder wood door. “ Akaashi? the cottage will be leaving soon, would you like to be escorted out to the courtyard?” the black haired boy asked, holding his hand on the door knob.

Akaashi gave a small smile before shaking his head, “ I can see myself to the courtyard, thank you Kenma-san.”

Kenma gave a nod of approval, “Your parents are waiting for you to say goodbye.”  
Akaashi gave a small sigh of relief, before setting the violin back into its holder.

There in the courtyard sat his parents, already inside the carrier.  
He hated not being allowed to go outside the castle gates. Just because he kept to himself didn’t mean he wasn’t curious.

He stood in front of the carriage window where he could see his parents' blank expression. 

“Keiji we can’t keep going to these formals without you.” His mother said, while applying a new layer of red lipstick to her lips. She said she’d always appear younger when she wore it. 

“You’ll be attending the next ball with us.” His father added, not even glazing at him.

Akaashi looked up at his father, not able to meet his eyes. Not able to tell if it was serenity or disgust in his tone. “Yes, father.”

“We’ll be back tomorrow night, Kozume-kun, keep an eye on him will you?” The queen turned to look out the window to make eye contact with kenma, who only nodded in response, the hood to his cloak blocking out ¾ of his face. 

With a final wave the driver yanked his leash and off they went. Akaashi walked into the other direction, back into the castle. Kenma following behind him, as knights, butlers and maids dispersed.

“Kenma-san I’ll be in the garden if you need me, yes?” Akaashi said, slightly turning his frame so he could see if Kenma nods. The cloaked boy slightly nods his head.

Akaashi first visits his room to take off the annoying amount of clothing he had on. To be rich or not the absurd number of jewels and thick fabric tend to get heavy or hot. 

Changing into a soft purple silk cover he had, he ventured into the garden. Grazing his fingers lightly over the petals of each flower. The sounds of birds and passing of butterflies were like a safe haven, no one ever bothered him here. The only other person allowed into the garden was his royal advisor, Kenma. 

The garden was built when he was around the age of seven, for him to explore nature without leaving the castle walls. The garden only became more of his own sanctuary when he got his own knights to guard the gate. His parents asserted the garden as his own. 

His favorite thing about the garden had to be the giant water fountain that sat in the middle of it all. The sound of the falling water always calming, watching the early spring cherry blossoms fall into it. 

Spending hours here seemed no different then when reading, he can let his mind run free, without distraction or the constant weight of the kingdom on his shoulders. As to feel like a villager, with free will.

Akaashi did just that. Spending the sun's hours in the garden, not caring for the other lessons he didn’t attend, as if he already knew everything he was going to learn. Sitting under the blossom tree with the thought of soft music in his head.

Golden hour approached fast. 

A popping firework is what caused akaashi to peak out of his thoughts.  
He could see the colored fire dancing in the air as it heeled toward the ground.

Catching Akaashi’s gaze, and then another. Crowds of screaming villagers could be heard. A celebration, maybe for one's well being or a newborn. 

He got up to walk closer to the wall, just as Kenma walked in. “Keiji? You’re still out here?”

Akaashi answered with a nod, eyes fixed on the wall.  
“Is something wrong?” Kenma asked, walking closer to him, trying to find whatever akaashi was looking at.  
That’s when it happened. That’s when Akaashi got his grand idea.  
He looked over to Kenma, almost wearing a full smile, “Could you keep a secret for me, Kenma-san?”

Ch: 2

“You’re insane.” Kenma put it bluntly, never usually giving his opinion, but Akaashi asked for this favor as a friend rather than an advisor. 

“It’ll just be for a few hours, my parents don't return until dusk, meaning I have time to look around the town, how am I supposed to rule if I don’t even know what it looks like.” Akaashi rebounded.

Kenma had the most expressive face when it came to things he didn’t agree on, or like.

“I can’t just pretend to be you. It wouldn’t work. Our complexions are different and my hair is longer. Our physike is just too different.” Kenma argued, crossing his arms.

Kenma never said no exactly, he just said it wouldn’t work. So he wasn’t completely against the idea.

Akaashi tapped his chin, “then just tell them I’m sleeping in my room, they don’t ever check on me then. You could even sit in there, they won’t question it. Please Kenma.”  
Akaashi had never sounded so desperate before, especially for someone who rarely showed emotion to anyone, the same could be said for Kenma, but growing up with people has a certain effect with them, where you could just be yourself rather than what they wanted. 

Kenma sighed, this plan sounded much better then the “pretend your me’ idea.  
Finally agreeing they both left the garden, dismissing the guards. Waiting until dawn.

They met back into the garden, Kenma had taken off his cloak for Akaashi to use, in case anyone did recognize him.

“You have until noon to be back here, you understand?” Kenma said, clipping the cloak into place.  
Akaashi nodded, his excitement not showing on his bare face. 

They walked to the bare tree where Akaashi climbed and got an extra push from Kenma sending him over the wall. “Oh to all the gods and goddesses please let him be safe.” Kenma mumbled to himself before walking into the direction of Akaashi’s bedroom.

Dawn broke into the window as Bokuto grunted when the soft light hit his eyes. Stretching with a loud yawn he threw on his trousers and shirt, clicking them into place before hitting a familiar sleeping cat with a pillow, “I’m going into town to get bread.”  
Kuroo grunted in response before lazily throwing the pillow back at Bokuto, which he easily dodged. Bokuto rolled his eyes, slipping on his shoes and throwing the satchel over his arm.

The town wasn't so busy that morning, as there were no celebrations, the one for the Sugamara family wasn’t held that long as the town began to celebrate into the dark hours of the night, causing the town to already be a little tired.  
Bokuto was walking the town roads when he noticed a very pretty man at the apple ven.

Akaashi passed the fruit stands before noticing a small child at the apple cart. They wanted to grab an apple. Akaashi smiled slightly at him, Akaashi grabbed the apple handing it to the kid.

“I hope you’re planning on paying for that?” A man asked from behind him.

“Pay?” Akaashi asked. “I’m sorry sir but, I don’t have any money.”

“Do you know what the penalty is for stealing?” The vender grabbed Akaashi harshly by the arm, pulling out a knife, exposing his wrist.

Akaashi winced, expecting the worst. Opening his eyes to see a man holding the vendor's wrist.

“Woah! Hey, thanks for finding him I’ve been looking all over the place for ‘im” The stranger stated.

Akaashi looked at the man confused, just what was he doing? He had strange white, spiky hair that didn’t seem normal to any extent. 

“You know him?” The vender asked, yanking away his arm. 

“Yes, sadly it’s my brother.” The brode man stepped in between them before pulling his satchel to his hands, “I’ll pay for the apple.” He tossed the gold shilling into the venders and before pushing Akaashi out of the way.  
Halfway down the road the vendor yelled at them, “You thieving little rut this is a fake!”

The man grabbed Akaashi’s hand, dragging him to follow him, in which Akaashi didn’t resist as the man seemed to have good intentions. 

Bokuto dragged the pretty looking man back to the cottage, winded and out of breath. He looked up to see the cloaked man trying to catch his breath too.  
They made eye contact, both shooting straight up, fixing their posture. 

They both looked at each other in silence before Akaashi spoke, “Thank you, I’m A.. Keiji.”

Bokuto smiled, spreading from ear to ear, “I’m Bokuto!” Bokuto spread his hand out for Akaashi to shake, and Akaashi took his hand into his own. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Is this where you live?” Akaashi asked, eyes focused on the cottage behind them.

Bokuto looked over and nodded his head, “Me and my friend! We own the farm in the back!  
“If you own a farm what's the need for fake shillings?” Akaashi did mean it as a general question, but it did seem to come off ruder than he wanted. 

Bokuto crossed his arms, “Well Mr.Keiji fake shillings are better than no shillings.” he huffed, not in actual irritation or anger, mostly to tease.

Akaashi blushed a little from the embarrassment, pulling the cloak down more to cover his eyes.

“Who the hell are you talking to?” an oh to familiar voice rang out from the doorway. Kuroo stood there looking down at the two who sat on the dirty stone.

“A new friend!” Bokuto reclaimed with a smile on his face.  
Kuroo looked at him with a puzzled face, turning to look at Akaashi, not able to meet his eyes thanks to the hood of the cloak covering them.

Kuroo nodded towards Bokuto, “You took the wrong bag by the way.”  
“I noticed.”

Akaashi turned away again, it felt so awkward, like he was jumping into someone's private life, let alone it being a villager, he’s never even talked this much to the servants at the palace.

Kuroo had left into the cottage to return with apples, tossing one to each of them, joining the two on the floor, taking a bite. With a mouthful he asked, “ So where are you from?”

Akaashi twirled the apple in his hands, “Not far from here.”

Bokuto assumed he meant one of the kingdoms over, “How come it seemed like you’ve never been to a market before?”

He froze up. This man seemed to be one full of questions, some not even he is prepared to answer, “Well, I’m not allowed to leave. At all. I do everything else but leaving the walls of the kingdom is not one of them.”

Bokuto stared at Akaashi with fascination, utter fascination. He had been running away. Out to adventure the world without the knowledge of family, maybe not even friends. Bokuto always admired people who were able to do that. He’s always wanted to leave the village, and explore the wonders of what laid beyond. Yet, too afraid to leave what he’s always known and he’s always lived for, assuming it was better for him to just live life one day at a time. 

“Sometimes it feels like-” Akaashi continued.

“Like I’m trapped...” Akaashi and Bokuto spoke in unison, under their breath as if not wanting anyone else to hear besides the person in front of them. Bokuto noticed that Keiji had pretty emerald eyes. Locked into the gaze, only to be pulled out when a few passing villagers run by.  
“Hey, what's going on yaku?” Kuroo asked, chucking his apple core into the pig pit.

“The King and Queen came back early!” The man with unruly light brown hair and golden eyes, seeming to be named Yaku, had started running towards the entrance of the village.

Akaashi looked up to see the faint sight of the pure white horses as they trudged up the hill into the village. His eyes widened like saucers as he looked towards the sky, it was only half past noon, Kenma was going to kill him and his parents weren’t supposed to be home until sun down.

Akaashi stood up handing the uneaten apple back to Bokuto. “Thank you for the help but I really need to go now!” Bokuto grabbed Akaashi by the wrist, “Can I see you again?” Akaashi looked at Bokuto in his soft golden eyes. Akaashi gave a soft smile. “You can meet me at the castle, I’ll leave my bay open.” Bokuto let go and Akaashi ran away.

Akaashi had made it to the garden gates just as the carriage had pulled into the castle gates.  
Throwing the cloak over the wall, he climbed the bending tree to hop back into the garden. Not landing gracefully, completely on his back, into the Hydrangea bush. 

“Prince Keiji! Are you in here?” One of the maids called into the garden. She didn’t seem to enter even though the guards weren’t there.

Kenma came running behind the maid, seemingly out of breath, “ I told you, he was- he’s tired. He’s sleeping in.”

The maid looked at Kenma with a disgusted look on her face. Sadly that maid was one of the four that helped raise Akaashi when his mother was busy ruling the kingdom with his father. 

Akaashi called out, “Yes! I’m just- picking some Hydrangeas for mother! I’ll be down soon!”

The maid and Kenma both let out a rough sigh. The maid walked away while Kenma had entered the garden. 

Kenma looked around before Akaashi popped his head out of the hydrangea bush, dusting the flowers out of his hair.

Kenma walked over to him, helping him out of the bush, “You owe me big time.”

That same night Akaashi sat in his room, he had left his Bay open like he had said he would, but it was getting so late he began to double guess himself, but before he could get up to close it he heard a light tap at the glass. He walked outside, his silk nightgown swaying in the soft night breeze. He looked down to see the one and only, Bokuto.

“You actually came?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Akaashi smiled, the desire for someone to want to be around him made him feel warm inside.

From that night on, he kept his bay window open.

Ch 3

Akaashi hadn’t left the palace since that night. It's been two months and his parents haven’t been invited to another gathering. Kenma would ask about that night but when Akaashi refused to answer he had dropped it.

But there Akaashi stood, down the hall of the throne room. Where he knows his parents would be doing really important ruler stuff and he will probably get a lot of lash for interrupting it later.  
He knew the more he thought about the consequences the more he wouldn’t want to do it.

Taking a deep breath he walked towards the giant door. Looking the knights in the eyes, both giving a slight nod to each other and then towards Akaashi holding the door open for him.

He thanks them with a smile, entangling his hands together so he wouldn’t fiddle with them as much. For them to be his parents he always got extremely nervous having to talk to them.  
Well they weren’t normal parents either, they were the King and Queen, and even though he was the heir and to take his fathers place when he stepped down, he never believed he could live up to his fathers name. 

He stood in front of them, looking towards the ground, not wanting to make eye contact.

“Yes, Keiji?” His mother called, not looking away from the paper the maid was holding out in front of her.

“Well, um-” he began to twiddle with his thumbs. “Well my birthday is coming up and” he trailed off.

His father looked down to see his son, “Stop fiddling with your hands and say what you need to say Keiji.” His voice was stern, as if Akaashi being there was a disturbance. 

“I’m turning seventeen.” Akaashi blurted, almost shouted really.  
Both his parents looked up at him, then to each other, then to him again.

“Go on?” His mother answered, them finally giving him their undivided attention.

“I’m turning seventeen and well I was wondering, since I’m not allowed to leave the castle. What if we host a ball?”

His parents stared at him in utter disbelief, then back at each other, then back at him. The routine of glazing seems to never end.

“You’ve never asked for a ball before Keiji? As I recall the only things you’ve ever asked for were far off books from different kingdoms.” His mother said fixing herself in the throne. 

“Is there any reason you’d want to have a ball now? Why not wait until you’re eighteen to have a ball? Then it could also be a wedding ball.” His father said, looking directly at Akaashi. He felt like he was staring into his soul.

“I just, really want to have a ball. Please? I don’t ask for much. I just want to get to know the townspeople better, as well as the neighboring kingdoms, if I’m to rule right? It makes sense to be familiar with it all.” Akaashi began to unlace and relace his fingers, he came in hoping they would just say yes and it would be over with, if Akaashi tells them it's because he met a village boy when he snuck out and couldn’t get him out his head he’d more then surely be in trouble for sneaking out.

His father rubbed his nonexistent beard as to show he was giving it some thought.

“Well, the last of the town knows of him. It wouldn’t be harmful towards us if we let him have a ball?” His mother said looking at her husband, who was fully aware of her presents but still sat and at his chin.

“Alright Keiji, you want a ball? You can have one, But you have to help with the decorating.” His father looked at him with knowing eyes.

Akaashi smiled, genuinely smiled. Before fixing his face he bowed to his parents, “Thank you!” he happily exclaimed.

He walked through the castle basically floating on his feet, he felt as if he accomplished a huge life goal, and to him it was. 

Akaashi made his way back to his room, seeing kenma waiting beside the door, he pulled him inside.

“Did they say yes?” Kenma asked as he pulled his hood off.

Akaashi smiled widely and nodded his head. “And you're going to help me.”

“A ball?” Bokuto repeated, almost spitting out his food all over Kuroo’s face. 

“That’s what I said, apparently the prince wants to have a masquerade ball, and he’s inviting everyone in the village and neighboring kingdoms. You really need to read the fliers the busboys pass around.” Kuroo said, sliding the paper under Bokuto's bowl, in return Bokuto rolled his eyes and swallowed his food.  
“Do you wanna go?” Kuroo said, only his leg visible from the wall that separates the small kitchen and their tiny shared bedroom.

“Do we even own masks?” Bokuto countered. 

Kuroo clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he got up to sling an arm around Bokuto's shoulder. “This is exactly why we save the real shillings dummy. We’ll just go to the next town over and get some stuff tailored.”

Bokuto thought about it, taking another bite of his food, you can hear him hum before finally agreeing with Kuroo.

It was one night before the ball and the kingdom was buzzing. Shops decorating for the people that would visit, houses and streets being tidied, some even planting flowers to the road sides. The town had never looked so clean in Bokuto’s upcoming 18 years of life. 

He and Kuroo had both gone to the neighboring town to buy and get suits and masks, even though they only had a little, the tailor took pity on them, she also seemed to like Bokuto's laugh which was just a bonus at that point.

If you thought the village was extremely busy, the castle was way busier. Butlers and maids are seen running around, chiefs passing back and forth from one dish to the next.

Akaashi sat in the dressing room with the tailor getting the rest of his measurements and trying on his outfit, leaving no room for error.

“Maybe this should be a little more puffy? What do you think dear?” Akaashi’s mother looked at him through the mirror, their eyes meeting. 

“Whatever suits me best.” He didn’t bother giving an actual answer since his mother would have him in whatever she wanted anyways. She only asked his opinion so she can have some type of excuse if Keiji ever complained. In which, he’s never done. 

One night to go, in which he had hoped and prayed to every god and goddess he could think of that he would get to see The unruly haired man once again. The thought of him made Akaashi smile slightly,

“Koutaro hurry up! I’d rather not be late!” Kuroo shouted out, walking towards the door. 

Bokuto zoomed past him in an attempt to grab his nice shoes, “I know! You’ve been telling me this since the day we found out!” Bokuto tried to clip his cuffs and put his shoe on at the same time. Failing miserably at both tasks. If you were a stranger you would give pity on this man.

Kuroo sighed as he walked over to Bokuto and grabbed his cuff, clipping it for him. “Do you think you’ll see your friend again?” Kuroo asked.

Bokuto cocked his head in an almost owl-like manner, “Who?”

“Apple cart man.”  
“Keiji!” Bokuto smiled, just the name made him happy. It was true that Bokuto couldn’t stop talking about him. Not since he saw his beautiful emerald eyes that seemed to shine in the fall sun.

“Yea him, he said he lived not that far from here remember? Meaning he’s gotta be in one of the towns or other kingdoms.” Kuroo got up and dusted at his knees before helping Bokuto up.

That single sentence seemed to clear Bokuto's mind about everything as his smile grew larger each passing second at the thought of seeing Keiji again.

They stand at the front of the gate. Neither of them wanting to step inside. 

Bokuto took the first step into the walls, even the air seemed to be richer, in some weird, poor stereotypical way. 

Everyone seemed to be engaged in a conversation, all their faces were covered, seeing nothing more than the whites of their eyes and their mouths.  
All the townsfolk had worn their most expensive jewelry, some of the women even had to wear their wedding gowns, just to match with the royalty of which they distinguished themselves in. 

Everytime a royal came in everyone would stop what they were doing to bow to them, earning a greeting in return.

The later the time went the dimmer the room got. Subjecting that the candles were being blown out to create an atmosphere.

Bokuto had been looking for the emerald green eyes for almost two hours.  
As the clock struck nine all the royals had made their entrance. 

A big voice boomed from above the people, speaking through a horn, “Everyone please give your undivided attention to her and his majesty, King and Queen Akaashi.”

The royal couple made their way down the staircase, to sit in the thrones at the bottom, all though still above the people. They smiled and waved, even though they seemed to wish not to be there. 

“Now everyone please greet his royal highness, Prince Keiji.” 

Bokuto;s eyes shot up to the top of the banquet where Keiji stood. All else around him seemed to disappear, his only focus being on Akaashi.

His sleeves seemed to glimmer under the chandelier, the short tail of his top fixed to sit like a skirt, the green of the suit making his eyes shine that even more exquisite shade of green, seemingly darker than before. 

Kenma stood behind him, his suit not out shining Keiji’s but still almost as glamorous, yet still a normal suit to wear at a ball. 

Kenma walked Akaashi down the stairs. Bokuto’s eyes were still fixed on the fair skinned man.

Kuroo went to nudge Bokuto on the shoulder, “Hey, isn’t that-'' Kuroo was cut off by Bokuto's loud gulp. A gulp made out of sheer nervousness. 

Bokuto had talked to the prince, and saved him from getting his hand chopped off. Yet, he still stood there breathless.

Akaashi stood in front of his chair before lightly smiling at the people.

“Thank you all for coming, please enjoy yourselves!” He collapsed his hands together as the music started playing and the others had begun to grab partners to dance. 

“I’m going to go down, if that's alright?” Akaashi turned to his parents, who sat in their thrones watching the others dance, with the wave of their hand they dismissed Akaashi. 

He walked down the flight of stairs leading into the crowd, scanning for the familiar hair. 

He passed through the small groups that were waltzing together, taking his suit into his hands he began to frantically search the scene. Just as he was giving up hope, he saw it. The untamed white hair, in which he was met with gold eyes that stared into his.

Bokuto was about to call it quits and find Kuroo when he turned around and saw the eyes he had been looking for the whole night. He found the beautiful emerald eyes staring back into his.  
Their eyes had met just as the song came to an end.

They slowly walked towards each other. Akaashi’s hands clasped together, fiddling with his fingers once again.

Bokuto remained silent, not as if he didn’t have anything to say. He had a lot to say at that moment, most of them involving questions. 

Akaashi spoke first, “Hello, Bokuto.”

Bokuto was still flabbergasted, his mouth basically hung open, “You’re, the prince?”

Akaashi smiled a little bit, “Yes I am. You really didn’t know?”

“I had no Idea!”

“I thought I was being pretty obvious.”

Bokuto and Akaashi laughed a little.

The orchestra began to play the next song.  
Bokuto looked at Akaashi and bowed, sticking his hand out, “Can I um-”

“Yes.”

Bokuo swiftly grabbed him by the waist and began waltzing. Akaashi winced at the speed. His golden eyes meet Akaashi’s emerald ones and Bokuto smiles warmly. The man delicately holds his waist and turns him around. Akaashi’s skirt swayed as graceful and as magnificent as the ocean itself. Bokuto’s arm tightens around Akaashi’s waist. They both caught into the heat of the movement, the sounds of the soft music playing, the hot hands of which they hold each other.

They lean closer to each other, lips almost touching. The intimacy of a kiss ruined when the song comes to an end and everyone clapping regains their focus. Both Akaashi and Bokuto blush as they pull away from each other. Akaashis hands resting on Bokuto's chest.

Akaashi looks into Bokuto’s half lidded eyes and whispers into his ear, “Follow me.”

Bokuto did not disagree.  
Akaashi grabbed him by the hem of his sleeve and out of the ball room. 

The knights had all been off duty to watch the ball, even though the main reason for the ball had disappeared.  
Akaashi pulled Bokuto into the gated garden, where the music can still be heard, in a muffled more relaxing tone. They stood in front of the fountain.

The waltz of the flowers, Akaashi’s favorite. It’s muffled but Akaashi can hear it perfectly in his mind. As many times as he’s played it on his violin. 

Akaashi bowed, lifting his skirt ruffles. Bokuto bowed in return before grabbing Akaashi’s hand in his. Bokuto smiled at Akaashi.

His smile was like poison. It was poison and wine, and it corrupted him. They were back in a waltz, a dance against time, love was merely an aftertaste. A man dressed in Emerald and gold, and the other dressed in the blue of the meeting seas.

They trusted each other. They opened up to each other.

They danced around the fountain. Becoming close once again. Their hot bodies pressed against each other, as the song began to slow to a stop. This time their gaze was not affected by the clapping of other participants. They were alone, with no one watching and it felt as if stars were their only company, and not even they could judge them. 

“Bokuto.” Akaashi said, in a husky untamed voice, one said with pure desire and want. 

“Koutaro..”

Akaashi looked at Bokuto with confused eyes.

“That’s my name, call me Koutaro.” Bokuto’s eyes seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.

Akaashi smiled as he laced his fingers behind Bokuto's neck, and in return Bokuto moved his hands against Akaashi’s hips.

“Okay, Koutarou.”

They stopped moving, even as the next song began to play, they basked at each other in the blue moonlight.  
“Your eyes are really pretty.” Bokuto said.

“Thank you.” Akaashi moved his hands to hold Bokuto's cheeks, pulling them closer once again. 

They would go on outings, and walk around the castle during the night. Enclosed hand in hand. Pinkie to pinkie. And now, forbidden kisses in the garden.

The garden that had been strictly for Akaashi. Where he didn’t let anyone trespass. No one was allowed in except for him and one exception.

But if this garden let him relive this memory for the rest of his life. He would open the gates to everyone who wanted to feel loved like this. To everyone that desired the heat of passion and thrill.

Akaashi stood in the garden, but he didn’t stand alone.


End file.
